Prepayment vending apparatus



(No Model.,-

P. E, MORGAN & R. C. BLAKESLE'E.

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PREPAYMENT VEHDING APPARATUS. 587

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o tion they assume after a coin has been inthepawl D to fully mesh with the teeth.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK EDWARD MORGAN, OF WEST HAVEN, vAND RUSSELL C. BLAKE$LEE,

OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

PREPAYMENT VENDING APPARATUS.-

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 587,989, dated Alig'ust 10, 1897. Application filed December 16, 1896. Serial No. 615,849. (No model)" To all whom it may concern; at one end with a fixed diaphragm Aflai the Be it known that we, FRANK EDWARD MUR- center of which is formed or secured a bear- GAN, residing at \Vest Haven, in the county ing or journal A fo'r the eontrollenshaft B.

of New Haven, and RUSSELL C. BLAKESLEE, The interior of the casing A communicates 55 residingat Torrington, in the county of Litohthrough an opening A with the money recepfield, State of Connecticut, citizens of the tacle or box 0, which is connected to the easlTnited States, have invented certain new and ing A by means of a hinge C at one side and useful, Improvements in Prepayment Veuda hasp and lock connection 0 at the other. ing Apparatus, of which the following is a The front of the casing A is closed by a cap 60 1o specification. A formed with a flange ct, which is provided This invention relates to certain i niprovewith two or more studs or pins a a, which ments in prepayment vending apparatus of are adapted to engage in bayonet-slots (t a the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the (see Fig. 8) for locking the said cap A to the United States N 0. 550,633, granted to Frank casing A. A lug, finger,.0r deter-1t a -projects 65 Edward Morgan December 3,1895, and deinward from the flange a, so as to be emsigned for use mainly in connection with supbraced by the sides of another detent or re ply-controlling mechanism of prepayment cess (ti-formed in the upper edge of the regas-meters. ceptacle 0, when the same is closed, so that The invention consists in the construction, the act of closing and locking the money-re- 7o arrangement, and combination of parts, as ceptacle C also looks the cap A in place upon hereinafter described and claimed, whereby the end of the main casing,- and, reversely,

advantage is gained in cost of manufacture the act of unlocking the money-receptacle and accuracy of operation and whereby the also unlocks the cap A, so that it may be readily removed for removing the coin-car- 7 general management of the apparatus is greatly facilitated. rieratta-ched toitand forrepairingorinspeet- In the accompanying drawings, to which ing the inclosing mechanism andas easily replaced. On the controller-shaft B, inside the casing A, are placed two ratchet-wheels b b. The 8ov ratchet-wheel b is fast upon said shaft B and in connection with a click 11 serves to lock the said shaft from backward rotation. The ratchet-wheel b is adapted to have a slight rotation on the shaft B, so that in case the 85 tion of our new and improved cash-box with 0 the coin-slot open to receive 3.00M]. Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation of the same, showing a coin retained between the coinholders Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig.

3 5 4 is a transverse left-hand sectional elevation on line 4 4 of Fig. 2, showing the parts in the position they assume when the slot is opened ready to receive a coin. Fig. 5 is a reproduction of Fig. 4, showing the parts in the posiserted. Fig. 6 is a like view showing the This slight independent movement of the parts in the position they assume at the time ratchet-wheel b is accomplished in this inthe coin is liberated. Fig. 7 is a transverse stance by placing it loosely upon the shaft I Y right-hand sectional elevation on line #4 of and connecting it to the ratchet-wheel b bya 5' Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detailed side elevation pin or arm b which reaches back into a slot showing one of the locks for attaching the cap or opening 1), formed in the ratchet-wheel b. to the main body of the box, and Big. 9 is a A spring?) is applied to the wheel b and detailed view of one of the ratched 'wheels. arm 11 in such manner as to normally hold The main casing A, which iiicloses the opthe said arm in contact with one side of the Ice 5o erative mechanism of the apparatus, is by opening I), asshown inl ig. 9. \Vedonotlimit preference circular in form, and is provided ourselves to this means for accomplishing the slight independent movement of the ratchetwheel'b, as many other devices for this purpose may be used, but the pin and slot are at once cheap and effective and are therefore preferred.v

The cap A* is provided at its center with a bearing 0-, in which is held a short shaft (1, the outer end of which is enlarged and provided with handles dfor rotating said shaft (1'. To the inner end of the said shaft d is fixed a plate f, which, together with another corresponding plate f and intermediate part-s hereinafter described, constitutes the coin-carrier adapted to be rotated through a given space by the purchaser by means of the knob and handles cl (1 for each coininserted.

The platef is formed at one side of its center with a coin-slot f and with a marginal locking detent or slot f whichlatter is so arranged in its relation with the slot f and with an outer coin-slot f. in the cap A that when the locking pin, stud, or detent g is inserted in the. marginal slot f the inner slot f in plate f will coincide with the outer slot f ,so that coins may be inserted from the outside into the coin-carrier to be retained thereby, as illustrated in Fig. 2 and as hereinafter described.

The locking-stud g is a part of an angular laterally-sliding plate or apron g, which is fnlcrumed to turn ona pivot g at the front of the cap A. That portion of the plate below the pivot g is adapt ed to slide over and close the outer coin-slot f whenever the plate is turned to release the coin-carrier-that is to say, when the said plate 9 is shoved to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 the lower portionof the plate closes the slot f while the upper portion of the plate at the same time withdraws the locking-stud from the marginal slot f. The withdrawal of the said locking-stud from the slot f permits the coin-carrier to be turned by the purchaser in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3, and whenever the slot f is turned away from the study the marginal slot of the plate f serves, in connection with the stud g", to lock the plate or apron g in position for closing the outer coin-slot f so that a second coin cannot be inserted in the apparatus until the preceding one has been discharged from the coinholders, as hereinafter described.

h represents a stop or limit pin attached to the plate f, and which acts against the locklug-stud g to prevent the coin-carrier from v being turned completely around, and h represents a beveled projection or cam on the inner surface of the plate or apron g, which when the said plate is moved to close the slot 4 and to release the coin-carrier acts to shove the coin completely out of the outer slot f and into the jaws or holders of the coincarrier, clearance spaces or slots k it being formed in the cap A and plate f, respectively, to accommodate the swinging movement of the said cam h, as shown clearly in 3.

- -jLhe o oin-c rien'which will now be deheldby the spring 1*, no coin 'tion of the coin,

to the short shaft scribed, is connected bodily is removed the (I, so that when the cap A coin-carrier and shaft, being part and parcel of the cap, are removed with it. A plate f is rigidly secured to the plate f by the columns e e c preferably three in number. On columnebetween the plates f f is placed loosely a sleeve 7; (the upper coin-holder, which is provided with a longitudinal slot to receive the edges of the coins insertedin the apparatus, and said sleeve k is also provided at its inner end with crank k having a horizontal stud which latter pritieot-s through a slot or recess 70 in the plate f. spring 7& normally holds the pin 70 the edge of the recess 70*, in which position the inner coin-slot f alines or registers with, the coin-slot f in the plate f, as shown clearly in Fig. The said slotted sleeve is constitutes the upper coin-holding jaw temporarily holding the coins in the coin-carrier, and owing to its adaptability to be rofated on the column 6 for the distance of the width of the slot or recess 70* (as and by the means hereinafter described) it serves also at the proper time to discharge or"" tlip the coin out of the coin-carrier.

1- represents the lower coin-holder, complemental to the upper holder 70. The said lower holder 1 is formed with a slot 1 to receive the lower edge of the coin, as indicated in 2, and it is connected tached to a shaft Z journaled in and between the plates f f, so that the said lower holder is adapted to reciprocate to and from the upper holder 70. a spring 1*, which normally elevates it so that the space between the bottom of the slot 1- and the top of the slot k is somewhat less than the diameter of a coin proper to the ap-- greater than the diameter of it Then in normal position, as being in the paratus and smaller coin.

coin-carrier, the bottom of the slightly-higher level than the bottom of the coin-slots f f, so that when a coin proper to the apparatus is inserted through said lastmentioned slots into the coin carrier the holder 1 will be-pressed downward by the acthat said holder twill be the holder 70, the closing tendency of the holder Z, due tothe spring l, will hold the coin. WVhen the coin is discharged from between the holders 7:- l, as hereinafter I the holder 7.; to its normal position. It may be said here that the said reciprocation of the holderl is utilized for operating the pawl D for connecting the coin-carrier controller-shaft B during the advance movement of the coin-carrier to the point of discharge of the coin and to disconnect it from the said shaft during the return movement, so that the discharge of the coinfrom the coin-carrier prevents the further purchase of The pawl spread away from D is pivoted to the platef" and to a plate 1?, air

described, the spring 1* returns.

against to assist in too The holder Z is acted upon by slot Z is on a shifting the locality of the stud m, and there 1 casing by means of a tape, string, or wire at- 5o\ con1bination f 4 f whenever is operated in this instance by a pin or 7,which is connected to the holder Z and projects back through a slot Pin the plate f and operates against or in contact with a cam i 2'", preferably formed as the surface of a slot cut in thepawl, asshown 1n the drawings; When; a coin is inserted, the movement of thepin Z against the cam 15 closes the pa'wl D into engagement with the ratchet b, so that when the return of the the action of spring Z will cause the said pin to strike cam i, and thus dis connect the pawl D from the ratchet band, as stated, prevent the' further purchase of gas. The discharge of t e 00m from the coin-car-.

or stop m, held in the path of the projection of the coin-holder it, so that'when the stud" 71: in the rotation of the coin-carrier, strikes the stud m the holder will be'turned to the position shown in Fig.

coin-holder slot kand cause it to instantly throw out the coin; which will fall throi h the opening A down into the cash receptacle or box 0 below. r

The stud m is by preference attached to an. adjustable plate (shown in Fig. 2,) which plate may be turned around the shaft B for secured in the same manner and for the same purpose as described in said Letters Patent.

9 represents a guard plate to prevent fraudulent use of the apparatus'which might be attempted by withdrawing coins from the tached to the coin. Said plate is attached to the coin-carrier in such manner as to act in connection with the casing as a trap for catch-v ing and holding the coins below the coin-slots they are brought into line with each other. Y

Having thus described our inventiomwhat w claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In a prepayment vending'apparatus, the with a supply-controlling shaft, a coin-carrier and a movable coin-holder inwith a supply-contrplling shaft,

connected to the coin-holder so that discharge rotation of the supply-controlling shaft; substantiallyasdescribed.

3. ha movable stud Z in prepayment vending apparatus "the pawl formed with a projection or combination with the pawl Dar-- stud I ranged to be operated by said pro jcction '01 stud substantially as described.

In a prepayment vendingapparatus, a

coin-carrier comprising two plates secured together one attachedzto a protrudingshaft slot- A p coin-slot casingand formed with a locking notch or detent and apair of coin-holders held between said plates, in combination with a pivoted and "laterally sliding apron form ed with a lockingslide laterally over the I externalcoin-slot and to be locked in that position by the locking-stud and one of said plates substantially as described.

"coin-carrier comprising tw plates secured together end attached to a protruding shaft slotted to coincide with a coin-slot in the main vcasing and formed with a locking notch or detent and a pair of coin-holders held between said plates, in combination with apivoted and slide laterally over the external coin-slot and to be'locked in that position by the lockingstud and one of said plates substantially as described.

coin-carrier comprising two plates secured toslotted to coincide with an external coin-sl'ot, the other slotted to receive a projection or stud on the end of a movable coin-holder, in combination with said movable coin-holder and a pivoted pawl arranged to be operated by said projection or stud substantially as described. I

7. In a prepayment vending apparatus the plate f recessed as at 7am combination with the plate f and the rotating coin-holder k formed with a crank 10 tially as described.

8. In a prepaymentvending apparatus the plates f, fsecured' together in combination with an interposed movable plate Z provided with acoin-holder land sustained bya spring substantially as described.

9. In a prepayment vending apparatus, the

stantially as and for. the

10. I combination with the main casing A of a remoy able cap A, the short shaft d journaled in said cap, and a coin-carriersecured'to the inner end of said short shaft substantially as described. r I

11. In a prepayment .vendingappara-tus, the combination with the main casing A of a cap In av prepayment vending apparatus, a

V iaterally-slrdm g apron formed with a locking- 6. In a prepayment vending apparatus, a

plates f, f in combination with an interposed plate 10 or guard beneath the coin-holders sub purposes set forth? na prepayment vendingapparatus the,

in the main gether one attached to a protruding shaft and ICO and stud k substan- A abayonetdock for securing the cap A to l the end of the casing, a projection a seeured to said cap and a hinged caSh-receptable G formed with a recess to embrace the said projection a substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

' shaft in combination with a pawl controlled 12. In a prepay inent vending apparatus,the combination with the main easing of a rotatable cap connected to said main easing, a

detent on said cap and a hinged coin-receptaele adapted when closed to engage with said detent so that the closing of the eoin-reeeptacle will lock the said cap upon the main casing substantially as and for the purposes described. 1

13. In a prepayment vending apparatus, a controller-shaft 13 provided inside of the main casing with a ratchet-wheel adapted to have a slight independent movement on the'said by the insertion of the coin and arranged to 15 engage with said ratchet substantially as and for the purposes described.

' FRANK EDV ARD MORGAN.

' RUSSELL C. BLAKESLEE.

iMorgan CHARLES J. Human,

11. A. WEsT'.

Witnesses to the B-la keslee:

' BURR LYON,

- WILLARD A.

siguntu re of Russeii O,

RORABAGK.

\Vitne sses to the signature of F1'ank E. 

